Roderick McIver Hartness

Canton- Roderick McIver Hartness, age 74, a man that has been blessed with a full and wonderful life, passed away Tuesday, August 10, 2021.

Roderick was born September 10, 1946 in Murphy, NC and grew up in a military family which gave him the opportunity of living in many interesting places close to military bases throughout the United States and also internationally. As he grew into a young man, he made the decision to follow in his family’s footsteps and enlisted in the United States Air Force and honorably served his country, being stationed in Vietnam. He was an excellent airplane mechanic and Roderick was honored to be chosen as a member of the Rescue Mission Team for the Apollo Space Program.  Following his military career, he continued his education to become an electrician and worked for many construction projects. "Roddy" was a true outdoorsman and spending time working in his garden, hunting among the mountains, and fishing in his favorite streams were all things that brought him much joy.  Roderick was a skilled gunsmith and he was also a talented photographer. It seems there just was not anything that Roderick could not master. Roddy had a great love for all of his many dogs throughout his life that he cared for and always held happy memories of each of them. In the words of his family, “He was a perfectionist.” Mr. Hartness held a strong faith and he was a member of Canton Central United Methodist Church. Roderick McIver Hartness will forever be remembered as a man of great courage, a man of many talents, and a man who loved and cared for his family with all his heart and soul.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 49 years, Phyllis Robinson Hartness who passed away in 2019.; his birth father, Alexander Winslow McIver; his adopted father, Willard Robert Hartness; his mother, Phoebe Caldwell Hartness; his brother, Richard McIver; his sister, Barbara Johnson; and also a close friend, Bill Idell.

Surviving are his daughter, Jenniffer Dall and Craig of Clyde; grandchildren, John and Jesse Dall; half-sister, Doris Reynolds of Georgia; a great-aunt, Genell Burnette of Canton; several cousins, nieces and nephews; and his close friends, Tommy Pope, and Larry Ledford.

A funeral service to honor and remember the life of Roderick Hartness will be held at 3:00 pm Sunday, August 15, 2021 in the chapel of Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service. Pastor Erin Yow will be officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. Interment with military honors will follow at Morning Star United Methodist Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Mr. Hartness’ memory to the Meals on Wheels, 157 Paragon Parkway Suite 300 Clyde, NC 28721, and to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758516, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516.

Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service is honored to be caring for the Hartness family.